I am an ordinary soul, an unknown Indian. Yet, I value my opinion enough to share it... and therefore, I blog.

Monday, November 12, 2012

Reclaiming our History | Decoding the Ramayana: The *real* Shri Ram: Whether he was a "bad husband" and what is "Ram-Rajya"? (Part-II)

Author's Note:Please visit -The 'Real' Ramayana/ Ram-Rajya- to read the other parts of this series, so as to be able to
fully understand or grasp the contents of this one.

In the 1st part of this post, we talked about
the kind of society that prevailed in the 2nd era (the Treta
Yug);we discussedwhy Ram is also known as 'Maryada-purushottam';
what Sita was like; what is meant by Ram-Rajya,who was Shri Hanuman, who were the 'van-nar',
and what has happened to the modern-day 'van-nar'.

We also listed down three things that were accepted
by the people of the Treta Yug. [There were a few other things that
were accepted as well, but we will discuss them in myRamayan series.]

Among the 3 things listed in the 1st part
of this series, point # 2 stated: Acceptance of forest-dwelling humans (or
the'van-nar') - as full-fledged humans.

Let us now discuss this point in greater detail, but first
a bit more about Shri Hanuman. [Please do also read the 1st part
of this series for the sake of continuity. Link provided at the top of this
post.]

So, Hanuman = someone that possesses a prominent, distinctive or (maybe) a large
jaw. And perhaps this feature
earned him one of his many names, that of: Hanuman. He is also known as Maruti,
meaning: "son of Marut". [Marut = another name for 'wind' in Sanskrit; the other two being: vaayu and pavan. It is a metaphor and
alludes to Hanuman's skills as a pilot. He was the finest pilot of his era.]

Shri Hanuman and Shri Sugriva have
been incorrectly dubbed as 'monkey' or 'ape', while the 'Vanar Sena' has been
conveniently dubbed variously as 'monkey-army' or the 'army of apes'. [This has
happened due to the translation of our ancient texts and pracheenitihasa
or our 'ancient history' - by 'enlightened' aliens and their spiritual offspring and
disciples.]

Vanar (also: Vaanar) is an amalgamation of two words:
'van-nar' or 'vaan-nar'. [Van or Vaan = forest. Nar = human.]

Therefore: the "Vanar Sena", "Vaanar Sena" or the "Van-nar Sena" =
the army consisting of forest-dwelling humans. [Sena = army.]

The people
of the Treta Yug - the ones that lived in the villages or in the cities (i.e. the
ones that lived outside the forest) - didnot accept the
ones (humans) that lived in the forest - as "humans".

The humans of
the Treta Yug (those living outside the forest) considered their
forest-dwelling counterparts (the "van-nar" or "forest-dwelling humans") as part
of the "animal-world", or in other words: as "lesser humans".

The primary reason
for this perception could be: their appearance, i.e. the way they looked. Also: their'way of life' differed quite a bit from the 'way
of life' followed by the humans living outside the forest, and this
too may have played a role in strengthening such a perception.

That is why he did
not seek the help of his own powerful army (that of Ayodhya) and instead went
to war with an army of "Van-nar Sena" - led by Shri Hanuman.

That is why
Shri Ram did not even seek the help of his own highly-skilled engineers
and technicians (from Ayodhya) - to build the bridge to Lanka (also known as: the
Ram Setu).

The ones that actually
built this bridge (setu-bandhan) across the ocean to Lanka
- were the van-nar or the "forest-dwelling humans" - of the Treta Yug.

All of the
above had to be done - in order to show and prove (to the rest of the humanity)
that the "van-nar" or the "forest-dwelling humans" were in no way inferior
to the ones that lived outside the forest.

That is: So as to show and prove (to the rest of the
humanity) that the "van-nar" or the "forest-dwelling humans" were not
part of the "animal-world"or "lesser humans".

That: they were full-fledged humans, just
like the rest of the humanity that were to be found in the 2nd era,
the Treta Yug.

Shri Ram, Mata
Sita and Shri Lakshman along with Shri Hanuman, Shri Sugriva and his army (the "Vanar
Sena") - were successful in their venture. Result: The "van-nar" or
the "forest-dwelling humans" were accepted by the rest of the population
as full-fledged humans.

Now, can you
figure out the role played by Mata Kaikeyi and Mata Manthara?

Two great women
have been blithely turned into villainous figures, scorn after scorn have been
heaped on them; they have been ridiculed and demeaned for centuries now. And
instead of righting this horrendous wrong, we - the modern humans, and the descendents
of our ancestors who lived in the Treta Yug - are bent on perpetuating it, by
making them (besidesseveral others of course) the protagonist/lead characters of lewd jokes, strange epithets,
and what have you. Shame on us!

Sita
was not the sad, weepy, tragic figure that certain entities have turned her
into. She was not a "poor" woman either. She was as courageous as
courageous can ever be, as fiery as fiery can ever be and as noble-minded
as noble-minded can ever be. She was a brave-heart. Sita was a true Kshatriya, and she performed,
or rather upheld - the "Kshatriya-dharma" - the 'way of life' of a Kshatriya(or the 'way of life' of a brave-heart). A 'way of life' that was essentially all about: helping and defending the weak and
the oppressed, no matter what. She refused to be cowed down by fear; fear of retributions
and backlash from vested interests and powerful figures. [Please do read the 1st
part of this series to understand this better.]

... And so was Ram.
He too was a true Kshatriya, and he too upheld the "Kshatriya-dharma" despite great odds and challenges.

[Note:Dharma is not "religion", such a word and its connotations were unknown
to our ancients. Dharma = 'way of life' or the guiding principles of one's life.

Kshatriya
= a warrior or a brave-heart; one who defends people or principles, i.e. one who protects the
weak and the oppressed from negative or harmful influences or entities - anywhere. It is not limited to the battlefield per se.]

Ram, Sita,
Lakshman, Hanuman, et al worked together to achieve certain goals; they were
largely successful in their endeavours... and in the process, they also became the
best of friends and allies.

However, as a
consequence of their actions, Ram and Sita suffered a lot. This was due to the
machinations of various entrenched interests, the ones they have had the
gumption to challenge. Yet, they chose to soldier on, courageously. They could
have led a comfortable and luxurious life, given their royal lineage. They
could have chosen to accept the injustices of the time (the Treta Yug)
and led a trouble-free life. ... But they did not take the easy way out, nor did they remain
passive. Instead, Ram and Sita chose the difficult path of hardships and challenges, so
as to improve society, and so as to improve the lives of the people.

Despite
heavy odds, Shri Ram (along with Mata Sita, Lakshman, Shri Hanuman,
Kaikeyi, Manthara, et al) succeeded in undoing a lot of the ills (of that era)
and established what came to be hailed as the Ram-Rajya.

No wonder, a
popular Bhajan has the following words:

'Raghupati Raghava Raja Ram,

Patita-pavana Sita-Ram...'

Patita = the
oppressed. Pavana = the deliverer.

Ram and Sita
together worked towards the upliftment of the status of women, the "van-nars"
or the "forest-dwelling humans", the elderly and the poor, and perhaps also towards
the upliftment (and assimilation into society) of the "tritiya prakriti" or the
"third gender" (the ones that the English-language today calls as: hermaphrodite.)

All these
groups were oppressed (patita) due to the societal norms that prevailed in the
2nd era, the Treta Yug. Ram and Sita's efforts (along with
those of Lakshman, Hanuman, Kaikeyi, Manthara, et al) - helped in easing their
circumstances. Or in other words: Ram and Sita delivered them from their
miseries.

Hence, Sita-Ram
is hailed and revered as 'patita-pavana'. [This is yet another reason
why Ram is also known as: 'Maryada-purushottam'. Do read: Part-1.]

... But what have
we done to them?

It's shameful,
to say the least, is it not? If this is how we treat our real heroes
and heroines: refuse to acknowledge their glorious legacies and contributions,
(rather: refuse to evenacknowledge them) and instead, get dazzled by or glorify hollow and fake pretenders, who will
want to devote themselves towards the welfare of the society? Who will want to
work for the betterment of the people? Who will want to surmount great odds,
sacrifice personal happiness and comforts, in order to work for the greater
good?

... And then,
what will happen to society?

Note: The modern 'van-nar' have been shunned and
condescendingly dubbed as 'savage tribal' and 'backward castes' - by our
benevolent and well-meaning colonizers, the ones that have spread the blinding
light of civilization all over the globe. All thanks to the higher and classy
game of 'divide and rule'.

Btw, 'Caste' is
an alien word. It is derived from the Portuguese word: 'Casta', which means:
purity of descent.

As for women,
we are aware of their currentsituation, what? A cursory glance over the newspapers is
enough, right? As for the tritiya-prakriti, the elderly and the poor, well,
less said the better.

... But what do we
do now?

Given what we
have done to our icons: ancient, medieval... and even the onesfrom our recent
history, who will want to come forward - in order to undo these modern-day
ills?

Well, since you are my frenemy, if you think my posts are irrational, I have nothing to say. :)

‘Varna’ does not mean ‘caste’. It refers to one’s ‘pravritti’ or talents.

Everything is not metaphor. That is the way they wrote. You can see it in the texts of the Satya Yug (1st era) – e.g. ‘Devi Mahatmyam’. You can see the same thing in the Mahabharat (Dvapar) as well.

It is us that have been responsible for all this confusion.

I have explained as to why Shri Hanuman is variously called: Vaayu-putra, Pavan-putra and Maruti.

There are erotic descriptions of Draupadi in the versions of the Mahabharat that we have today. Whose work is that: Vedavyas or some modern-day Vedavyas? :)

Our ancient texts have been so twisted that an alien custom like ‘Sati-daha’ was blithely planted. And there were ‘defenders’ galore! What can one say? Various entities have mis-translated our ancient texts, just as how the Dasavatara has been (mis)projected.

I have not only mentioned phoren entities, but desi ones as well.

As for Valmiki Ramayan: Do you think the version that we have is the same one written by Maharshi Valmiki? Meaning: as is?

The lifespan of a manuscript is limited. So, they would obviously have to be copied. … Therefore, one can never be sure of what slips might have happened between the cup and the lip.

@Mahesh Kalaal: The lifespan of manuscripts is limited. They need to be copied after a certain lapse of time. Language changes, meanings of words change, society changes, interpretations change, and so on and so forth...

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... Roshmi, the author of "Musings of an Unknown Indian", travels @ the speed of thought and has wandering feet too. She was mesmerized by the ruins of Hampi and the Badami Cave Temples. A green thumb, she does her bit for the environment. Her blog is an eclectic mix of tales, poly-tricks, history, art/culture, books, movies, Suppandi, Nasruddin Hodja, Chanakya, sports, micro-fiction, Swami Vivekananda, Tagore and his songs, the ragas, poetry, Omar Khayyám/Rubáiyát, and more. Much more! Posts that keep the gray cells from graying and tickle the funny bone too! :)

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